Business Skills Micro-Credential Training in Partnership with SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College and AmeriCU Credit Union a Success

In January/February AEDC hosted a three-part micro-credential Business Skills training at SUNY Plattsburgh’s AuSable Hall. This partnership included registration and site assistance by the School of Business and Economics at SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (IAM), expert instruction by the Strategic Executive Alliance Team and sponsorship by AmeriCU Credit Union. 

The training covered bookkeeping for business, marketing best practices, and financial/revenue management. Nearly thirty students participated in the courses and nearly twenty achieved the micro-credential by attending all three sessions. Thank you to our partners for helping us bring this impactful educational opportunity to the area and especially to our generous sponsor AmeriCU Credit Union. 

Pictured: Micro Training Team at SUNY Plattsburgh: Victoria Duley - AEDC, Billy Jones - Clinton Community College, Victoria Bracco - Strategic Executive Alliance, Sara Ratliff - SUNY Plattsburgh, and Emily Bristol - AmeriCU Credit Union.

AEDC Attends North Country Chamber of Commerce Events

The AEDC team was pleased to sponsor the North Country Chamber of Commerce annual dinner and awards at SUNY Plattsburgh. The group dressed up to enjoy the incredible décor and fun provided by the stellar North Country Chamber team at the “Greatest Show on Earth”.

Jamie Cecilia and Victoria Duley also attended the North Country Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast in Plattsburgh. The sold-out event featured Senator Dan Stec, Assemblyman Matt Simpson and Assemblyman Michael Cashman providing updates on their work in the capital and their solid representation of the North Country. Thanks to all for a great event.

Pictured: AEDC at the North Country Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.

AEDC Welcomes Dwayne Thomas and Katie Stephenson to its Board of Directors and Kelly Gonyo as Secretary

We are delighted to welcome Dwayne Thomas and Katie Stephenson to AEDC’s Board of Directors. Mr. Thomas is the Director of Economic Development for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Ms. Stephenson is VP, Commercial Banking at Community Bank. We are extremely fortunate to have their skills and connections brought to our board. At its March board meeting AEDC also welcomed Kelly Gonyo, Owner of Blue Line Insurance, to its executive committee as Secretary of the Board of Directors. Thank you to all three for your service!  

Pictured: Dwayne Thomas - AEDC Board, Katie Stephenson - AEDC Board, and Kelly Gonyo - AEDC Secretary.

Staff Spotlight: AEDC Celebrates Entrepreneurship Programs Director Stephanie Donaldson's 10th Anniversary with the Organization

Stephanie Donaldson joined AEDC just over 10 years ago as a Business Counselor, was promoted to Entrepreneurship Programs Manager in 2022 and to Entrepreneurship Programs Director in 2024. She holds an MBA from Clarkson University and previously worked as a director and professor at Paul Smiths College.

Stephanie oversees AEDC’s business counseling and training programs and is program director of AEDC’s New York State Entrepreneurship Assistance Center (one of 22 designated across the state). Residing in Ogdensburg, Stephanie loves her St. Lawrence Seaway community and brings her incredible organizational skills and deep resource connections to our organization and clients every day. We are grateful for her talents and commitment across a full decade. Congratulations and thank you, Stephanie! 

Pictured: Stephanie Donaldson

New York State Economic Development Council Annual Conference

Victoria Duley enjoyed a wide variety of educational content and networking with economic development partners from across the state at the New York State Economic Development Council Annual Conference in Albany.

Victoria serves on the NYSEDC board of directors and conference planning committee. North Country leaders were present in force at the event. 

Pictured: Renee McFarlin - TDCNY, Victoria Duley - AEDC, Jessica Kogut - Town of Plattsburgh, Abby Praetorious - North Country Chamber of Commerce, and Molly Ryan - Clinton County, and Dani King - TDCNY.

Celebrating Workforce Housing Progress with the Adirondack Community Foundation

Victoria Duley joined a packed crowd of partners and community members in Schroon Lake to celebrate progress in increasing the workforce housing supply with our friends at the Adirondack Community Foundation. The Foundation convened the gathering to recognize the work achieved in the last several years and to catalyze further progress.

AEDC recognizes the key economic issue that is the regional shortage of affordable workforce housing. As a Community Development Financial Institution and microlender, AEDC’s Board of Directors and team have committed to a growing role in the puzzle of housing finance. We look forward to intentionally growing resources, in conjunction with our many community partners, to help meet this challenge.

Pictured: Workforce Housing event hosted by the Adirondack Community Foundation at the Schroon Lake Lodge.

Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce "Women in Business: Inspire and Ignite"

Santana Vicencio-LaBarre enjoyed a day of inspiration at Paul Smiths College with the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce “Women in Business” gathering. Keynote speaker LeeAnn Ruff (an AEDC client) provided a rousing start to the day which also had many interesting breakout sessions.

AEDC loves serving and spending time with our women-owned businesses and the event was packed with smart leaders. Congratulations to Mindy Audlin (also an AEDC client) for her award received at the event for her great work with ADK Woman.

Pictured: Mindy Audlin and Lee Anne Ruff - ADK Woman with Santana Vicencio-LaBarre - AEDC at the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce Women in Business event.

St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Annual Breakfast

Stephanie Donaldson and Victoria Duley enjoyed great camaraderie and the good news happening in St. Lawrence County at the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce annual membership breakfast.

Congratulations to Lenore VanderZee and Adam Soulia for their leadership awards received at the event.  

Pictured: Victoria Duley - AEDC, Ben Dixon - St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and Stephanie Donaldson - AEDC.

New York CDFI Coalition Annual Conference

Kevin Wilson and Victoria Duley from AEDC were delighted to recently join community development and financing leaders from across New York State to share how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are “Bridging the Gap”. 

The CDFI Coalition's Keynote event featured two of the most consequential figures in the history of community development finance -Clifford Rosenthal and Mark Pinsky, whose careers helped define, build, and advance the CDFI movement in America. These discussions and others provided strategic insights into changes within the CDFI industry and directions of growth for these organizations which are critical to community investment. AEDC has been a CDFI serving 14 counties across northern New York since 2003.

Pictured: Cedric Carter, TD Bank and AEDC Board Member, Victoria Duley and Kevin Wilson, AEDC, Johany Morel, TD Bank.